


face like an angel, body like a bomb

by TLvop



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Noir, Gen, Women Being Awesome, violent imagery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-25
Updated: 2012-06-25
Packaged: 2017-11-08 12:39:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/443283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TLvop/pseuds/TLvop
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lots of people think Natasha Romanoff isn't dangerous. Barton grew up around cons, and doesn't see how you can't spot the tells a mile away.</p>
            </blockquote>





	face like an angel, body like a bomb

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ashen_key](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashen_key/gifts).



> For the prompt: ['Have you ever noticed how red cars look like they're going fast even if they're just sitting still? She was like that. She was dangerous.'](http://eternal-elenea.livejournal.com/102733.html?thread=484685#t484685) on the [noir comment ficathon](http://eternal-elenea.livejournal.com/102733.html).

Barton's working theory is that some people never learned how to look right when they were kids. Maybe they were always the biggest ones on the playground, maybe they were one of the lucky ones who never went hurting for food during the Depression, never brushed danger that wasn't the loud brash terror of the war. Maybe they're too young to've been in the war-- and isn't that terrifying, guys that young being old enough to get worked over for information.

That's got to be what's going on because his circus hindbrain knows how to tell the marks from the pros, sees Romanoff and says _don't try to pull anything on her_. No one walks like that unless they've got reason; no one's eyes glint like hard-edge diamonds unless they can slice you open.

But most guys see curves and laughter and low cut dresses, and Barton guesses they just lose their underdeveloped survival instincts.

Whatever, it's not his problem. They can be stupid, and Romanoff can be dangerous, and Barton can watch from 300 meters to give cover, or more if central command makes up its damned mind. He adjusts his aim by a whisker; Romanoff'll kill him if he gets gunk on her dress.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[podfic] face like an angel, body like a bomb](https://archiveofourown.org/works/697196) by [sly (curiously_me)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/curiously_me/pseuds/sly)




End file.
